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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24606832">In Such Little Ways, Things Can Change</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/rychuu/pseuds/ImpyTricky'>ImpyTricky (rychuu)</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>New Dangan Ronpa V3: Everyone's New Semester of Killing</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Gen, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Light mentions of police corruption, pregame au</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-06-08</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-06-08</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 08:40:14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,963</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24606832</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/rychuu/pseuds/ImpyTricky</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Kokichi can't sleep, so he starts wandering around the house of the police officer letting him and his brother stay there. He discovers here sitting in the basement, and decides that he wants to know more about the woman named Agatha Holland.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Kokichi Ouma Month</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>In Such Little Ways, Things Can Change</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>This was written for Ouma Month day 8: a Free day!</p><p>Kokichi gets to talk to Agatha, a defense attorney, about police corruption.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Kokichi found that he couldn’t sleep.</p><p>Of course, Kokichi was rarely ever able to sleep, but being in the house of a stranger with her family made him all the more uneasy. He had bags under his eyes, yet no amount of effort would ever result in a good night’s sleep.</p><p>So he sighed, squirming out of his brother’s arms and off of the couch. He didn’t know <em> what </em> he would do, but he figured it was better than sitting around and not doing anything anyway.</p><p>Aimlessly, he wandered the house--laying out each room and committing them to memory, peeking into places he hadn’t seen before, and even looking down into the basement of the house. He wondered what dark secrets lurked there, ready to eat him alive if he dared ventured down.</p><p>Yet a light caught his eye, a dim yellow light shining just to the left of the staircase. Hesitantly, Kokichi made his way down, one creaky step at a time. He swallowed nervously, hands shaking as he peeked around the corner, only to see Agatha sitting at some kind of bar.</p><p>The presence of it made him stiffen, and he gritted his teeth together. Adults and alcohol weren’t ever a good combination. Maybe he should convince Kurochi to leave, if he was well enough to do so with how his illness was going. Even if he seemed better, there was always the chance that he wasn’t, and leaving would make the illness come back tenfold.</p><p>Being on the streets was far safer than being near an adult, anyway.</p><p>Though before he could even turn to sneak back up the stairs, Agatha turned her head to face him. She smiled, leaning her head in her hand as her elbow propped it up from the bar, and the other was circled around a glass of a dark liquid. </p><p>“Hey there. Didn’t think I saw you, did you?” Kokichi winced, and she laughed. “You don’t have to be shy. You can come get a drink, if you want.” Kokichi didn’t respond, only staring at her with widened eyes and parted lips, shocked that an adult would even consider offering something like that to a child. He was about to scorn her, before she laughed; “I meant soda, kid. There hasn’t been booze in this house since my ex husband left. I just keep some water and soda down here to drink after work. Want some, or not?”</p><p>With the clarification, Kokichi was both relieved and disturbed. It was like she could read his mind. Though he was nervous, he hesitantly moved over towards her, climbing up on a bar stool next to her. “... Sure. I like soda, it’s fizzy.”</p><p>“Ah, right. You kids can’t taste food, right? Jaden mentioned that to me. Sounds like the three of you have been getting pretty close.” She grabbed a small can of soda, some kind of knock-off cola, and opened it. “You want a glass?”</p><p>“... No, that’s okay.” Kokichi took the freshly opened can of soda, staring down into it before he took a sip. It was fizzy, as expected. Yet he wondered what it tasted like. If only he could taste it.Kokichi’s expression fell as he quietly sipped at the soda, unsure of what to say. Agatha didn’t speak, and just sat there quietly drinking her glass of cola. It was almost peaceful, if it didn’t feel so awkward.</p><p>And finally, Kokichi figured out <em> why </em> it was awkward.</p><p>“... Kid, I don’t exactly know how to bring this up without prying, but,” she started, setting her now empty glass down. “You two aren’t normal. You and your brother, I mean. You came all the way to the U.S. from Japan… and you were homeless, too. Now, I didn’t want to push you for an answer, but…” She trailed off for a moment, silent and thoughtful, before she turned her head to face Kokichi once more. “Your brother… did something a week ago that I can’t get off my mind. He was delirious and sick, but still…”</p><p>Kokichi felt anxiety roaring within him, wanting to know just exactly what Agatha was talking about, but his face was carved from stone. “What do you mean?”</p><p>“I mean, I know abuse cases when I see them,” she said, bluntly. Kokichi’s grip on the soda can tightened. “... Look, I don’t want to make you talk to me about what’s going on with you two. But, I feel like I should know <em> some </em> things about your situation. After all, I can’t keep either of you safe if I don’t know what to look out for.”</p><p>Kokichi’s lips tightened into a deep frown, and he contemplated on what he should do. Distrust for the woman coiled in his gut, unable to trust her despite his heart wanting to. He could only glare at her. When she realized she wasn’t going to get an answer, she only sighed. She turned away from Kokichi, grabbing another can of soda and pouring it into her glass after opening it. She took a few gulps before setting the drink back down. “... Guess you don’t like grown ups much, huh?”</p><p>Kokichi stiffened. He didn’t like how this woman was able to figure him out so easily, as if she was reading his mind.</p><p>“Well… I guess I can’t make you talk. Just, promise me something. If things start getting worse or you think you’re gonna get into a lot of trouble, I want you to tell me as soon as possible. I don’t want you two on your own in this, okay?”</p><p>Kokichi blinked, his eyes slightly widened, yet unable to process what she had said to him. She sounded so earnest, so kind, and yet… that distrust continued to linger. “... Hey, ma’am?”</p><p>“You can call me ‘Agatha,’ you know.” She smiled, and lightly chuckled at him. It made Kokichi’s cheeks burn with embarrassment. “So, what’s up?”</p><p>“... Why did you become a defense attorney?”</p><p>Agatha was the one taken aback, though she didn’t outwardly show it. Kokichi could still see it in her eyes, how they had focused more on him as her smile fell. She hadn’t expected his question, clearly, but she forced out another warm smile. “Well, when I was a little girl, I was always defending other kids from bullies and the sort. I guess I’ve always had a natural instinct for it.”</p><p>“Hmph.” Kokichi scowled, turning away from her and looking at his soda. “Is that what you tell your kids? ‘Cause I don’t buy it.”</p><p>“Oh?” Even in the corner of his eye, Kokichi saw Agatha tilt her head. “And why’s that?”</p><p>“Because cops are awful, terrible people, and--and lawyers aren't much better,” he growled. His grip on the soda can tightened, to the point where he was leaving dents in it. “They’re power hungry jerks who don’t actually care about anyone else--and lawyers don't care as long as you fill their pockets. The law in Japan… The law in America… They’re all the same, aren’t they? They hurt people. There aren’t any ‘good’ cops or lawyers. So I don’t get you.”</p><p>Agatha didn’t react. Kokichi was surprised that she didn’t and only quietly hummed at him. She started tracing her index finger around the rim of her class, and then she said lowly; “Don’t you think you’re a bit young to know cops are bad, kid?” She barked out a singular laugh, but there wasn’t any joy to it. It sounded bitter. “Most kids your age look up to police officers like they’re heroes. What kind of life did you have that’s made you see all that ugly stuff, huh?” Agatha’s jaw tightened. “... Kids shouldn’t see how ugly the world can be… but I guess, being ignorant doesn’t help either, right?” She chuckled. “What’s the right way to go about things? To keep kids like you in a state of ignorance so you can enjoy the life you live… or, tell you the truth, so you can be prepared for the worst… even if it makes you miserable? Heh… Feels like you can’t win either way, thinking like that…”</p><p>Kokichi didn't answer, and he could tell she didn’t expect him to. Her smile lost some of the bitter edge to it, but it was still filled with more sorrow than joy. “Well. When I was a little girl, I was always told that the police officers were heroes. I wanted to be just like that--like all of the men and women risking their lives to help the innocent. I was naive. Bright eyed and bushy tailed right through my training at the academy. I graduated with rose colored glasses, thinking I was gonna help save the world.”</p><p>Kokichi gasped. "So you <em>were</em> a cop?"</p><p>"Yep, sure was. Biggest mistake of my life, honestly." She laughed again. “It took me three days of work to realize that the world wasn’t like a fantasy. My hopes and dreams got shattered pretty quickly when I learned that the majority of the police force were middle aged, bigoted men looking to meet their next quota or get a salary raise. They treated me like some rotten kid got a police badge. Or, maybe like garbage. That’s probably a better description.”</p><p>As Agatha spoke, she leaned forward, and Kokichi found himself leaning with her. Curious, wondering and invested in her story. He bowed his head, and asked in a soft whisper; “So you hated it?"</p><p>“Oh, I still hate it. I hate police officers, rotten men wanting to push everyone around...” Agatha admitted, and Kokichi wanted to wince at how blunt she was with him. She was laughing, but he didn’t see what was funny. “Even after I quit. I didn’t care if I wasted a good chunk of my life dedicated to it, I wasn’t about to be a part of a system that was so broken. I stormed out of the station… but, just after I grabbed my jacket and throw my badge at my boss, a thought hit me. ‘If I quit now, then some white, bigoted <em> prick </em> would replace me. Nothing will get better like this’. Pardon my language.”</p><p>“So… you decided to become a defense attorney?” Kokichi frowned. “That doesn’t sound right. Defense attorneys protect criminals.”</p><p>“Hey now, that's not true at all.” Agatha took another gulp of her drink before she sighed. “At least, not for me. Think about it like this--” She closed her eyes, and her smile became even warmer and softer. She looked relaxed, and Kokichi truly didn’t see any regret in her smile. “If cops are bad... then what about the people who get caught by them? Sure, some of them are real bad, and I avoid those kinds of clients like you wouldn't believe--but a lot of them are poor, or discriminated against for some reason or another, even when they're innocent or just need help... don't you think they deserve help?”</p><p>Kokichi’s gaze fell. “... Are there really people like that?”</p><p>“Yep. Of course there are.” She chuckled. “Aren't you and your brother living proof of that?”</p><p>Kokichi hummed, and he quietly went back to sipping his soda. Soon, he found that his can was empty, and he sighed softly. He shifted his weight, squirming, finding that guilt replaced the suspicion in his gut. He felt back for suspecting her of malicious intent. Finally, he smiled too. “... I wish there were more adults like you.”</p><p>Agatha only hummed, nodding once before a comfortable silence fell between them. Kokichi would soon find his way back to bed, but in that moment, he found that he felt safe with Agatha sitting by his side.</p><p>He almost felt as if no one could come close to harming him with her around.</p>
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